To the courts and retinue of Lord Spring, Winter, the disbanded courts and retinue of Lady Autumn, all peoples of the land, and whomever else it may concern,

As I am sure you have learned, there have been major changes to the leadership of the Seasonal Court. My forebear, the Sovereign Summer, has claimed through force that which is rightfully theirs. Lady Autumn has abandoned the realm, and as such Summer retains control of the throne until such a time that she returns to her duty.

A bold faced lie. By now my cousin Lecana would surely have informed her lord father, Spring would have sent word to virtually all other households in the realm. Summer had banished Autumn using dark and prohibited powers.

There are those who have already sought to unjustly dethrone my sire. My brother Seco, Sword of the Sun, and the Court Philosopher Mónos have both attempted coups, and both have been justly banished by Summer’s diving justice. There will be no hesitation in meting out such punishment should any others be foolish enough to attempt rebellion.

Another lie. I had seen my sire use the dark powers thrice, once on my brother for his disobedience, once on my aunt Autumn to remove her from succession, and once on the blue philosopher simply because he was a dear friend to Autumn, and because Summer is a spiteful being.

Each time I saw Summer use this power I saw something drain from them. Their once golden skin has become almost pale. Their birdsong voice has soured, and become like the cries of crows and vultures, and even fouler birds still. While once they adorned theirself in garish robes of rich purples and bright yellows, now they had exchanged their wardrobe for one of grey and red. Even their ever present oppressive aura of heat has weakened. I believe the forbidden powers have made them even frailer than they let on. Perhaps such things are forbidden with good reason.

For his crimes against the realm and its people, Sovereign Summer demands the capture of Polarus, The Bright Midnight. A hefty ransom of gold will be offered for his capture alive, and one of silver for his body. Sovereign Summer cautions those who may hunt him that Polarus is a cruel and powerful being.

Powerful, certainly, but cruel? Not at all. The only crime Polarus has committed is being the object of hate of his dread sibling, Polari, whom Summer had promised its brother’s life in exchange for its aid in recovering the forbidden power from that distant plane.

For her crimes against the throne, Sovereign Summer demands the capture of Lecana, Princess of the Gentle Breeze, dead or alive. A similar ransom of gold will be rewarded for her capture, and will be doubled should it also result in the return of a wooden mask in her possession, stolen from the Seasonal Court.

I almost could not get through the passage. Lecana was there when Summer purged Autumn from the world, and it was she that fled with Autumn’s mask in hand. Her only action against the throne was warning her father of my sire’s crime.

Any subject found aiding either of these heinous villains will be punished in kind. Those whom obey and behave, however, will find great prosperity in the years to come. The realm has now entered a glorious everlasting summer, and the sun will reward its supplicants.

-Serotina, Shadow of the Sun, Grand Advisor to Sovereign Summer

I read it all over once more. “I’ve finished, my Sovereign.”

“Excellent,” Summer croaked, “Send it off, and while you’re at it, send word to Spring that I demand his presence.”

“At once.” I replied, as I hurried out of the room. Never in my life had I felt so strongly compelled to find shade.